United States, Massachusetts
Massachusetts State Police
Teleoperated ground robot (Boston Dynamics Spot), supplied by Boston Dynamics
OperationalJournalismPAI-0E8E5722
- Body
- Massachusetts State Police
- Country
- United States
- Area
- Massachusetts
- Technology
- Teleoperated ground robot (Boston Dynamics Spot)
- Supplier
- Boston Dynamics
- Status
- Operational
In routine use by the named body, on the evidence of a public source. - Stage
- In use now
- Since
- 2023
- Legal basis
- None stated
- Oversight
- None identified; the ACLU of Massachusetts previously demanded disclosure of the force's Spot testing
- Evidence
- Journalism
Named reporting by a reputable outlet - Source
- Bloomberg; Boston Globe; Police1
- Last checked
- Record code
PAI-0E8E5722
Notes
The Bomb Squad operates two Spot platforms alongside its Special Tactical Operations Team, sending them to barricaded-suspect and potential hostage incidents, to investigate suspicious packages and to help secure crowded events, feeding situational awareness back to troopers and the incident commander so people do not have to approach on foot. Deployments have included a barricaded-suspect shooting scene in Danvers, Boston's Independence Day celebration and the Boston Marathon.
Spot is a teleoperated mobility platform carrying cameras, roughly 75 pounds and costing around 100,000 dollars, not an autonomous decision-making system. The NYPD separately suspended Spot in 2021 after public backlash, then acquired two units in 2023.
Teleoperated ground robot (Boston Dynamics Spot) elsewhere in United States
See them in the tracker| Deployment | Country | Supplier | Since | Status | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York City Police DepartmentAutonomous security patrol robot (Knightscope K5) | United StatesNew York City | Knightscope | 2023 | Discontinued |